Angland
Angland is one of the states within the federated realm of The Union, a realm made up of three kingdoms and two protectorates. It is part of the Northern Continent of the Circle of the World. For generations, Angland has been governed by the Meed family, from the capital of Ostenhorm. It has a troublesome border with The North on the River Whiteflow. Origin Angland was originally populated by Northmen. Some two centuries before the start of in the trilogy, High King Casamir conquered Angland in order to access the valuable deposits of iron and wood there. Government The capital of Angland is Ostenhorm, and it is governed by a Lord Governor in the name of the High King of the Union. The governor has considerable autonomy over the province. At the start of the series, the Lord Governor is Fedor dan Meed, who is considered a strong leader, and tireless champion of the province and its people. It is represented on the Open Council by Hersel dan Meed, the third son of the Lord Governor. Territory, Geography and Culture The Kingdom of Angland is on the Northern Continent, to the north of Midderland across The Circle Sea. It is bordered to the north at the River Whiteflow by The North. This border is heavily defended against encroachment by Northmen, with the key fortress being Dunbrec just south of the Whiteflow. To the south-west is Starikland across the White Sea. The climate is quite cold especially in the winter snows. The region has a sizeable population of Northmen, migrants seeking work often as farm labour. The river Cumnur splits the province into two parts. The Southern Part contains the great majority of the population and almost all the significant towns, including the capital, Ostenhorm. The roads are reasonably good, the country relatively open. The Northern Part of the province is an unwelcoming expanse of dense forests, trackless bogs, and broken hills. It is sparsely populated with scattered mines, logging camps, and villages such as Black Well. There are also several prisons / penal labour camps operated by The Inquisition. There are only two proper roads, one to the western close to the mountains linking the mining communities, and one to the east following the coast. Military The province has a sizable garrison of King's Own. The formidable fortress of Dunbrec is the lynch pin for the defence of the northern frontier, which has three hundred men, with sufficient stores of weapons and food to withstand a year-long siege. There are also a number of smaller outposts. In addition, Angland has it's own soldiers under the Lord Governor for defence of the province. In times of crisis, the Governor can levy even more soldiers from the general population. History In recent years, a chieftain called Bethod has united almost all the northern clans and proclaimed himself King of the Northmen. He now seems to be spoiling for a fight with The Union, threatening Angland in particular. The Blade Itself Bethod sends Fenris the Feared and White-Eye Hansul to The Union as his emissary to offer a peace proposal with The North. In the Open Council, Hersel dan Meed protests against the demands for funds by Dagoska for defence against the Gurkish, bemoaning the fact that Angland has the greater need. He is outraged when the emissaries from The North present themselves before the assembly, and offer peace with The Union, but only in return for the territory of Angland. The Union refuses the proposal, and the Northmen invade northern Angland, capturing the key fortress of Dunbrec by surprise. With the outbreak of the First Northern War, Angland is thrown into chaos, with refugees flooding into Ostenhorm. In Midderland, the Union Army gather under Lord Marshal Burr and sail to Angland. However, Lord Governor Meed raises every man, determined to march out and beat the Northmen on his own, despite orders not to engage the Northmen before the Union Army arrives. Before They Are Hanged The Lord Governor’s forces suffer a crushing defeat near the village of Black Well, and the Northmen now flock into the northern part of Angland, though they've yet not crossed the River Cumner. The Union Army under Burr march north seeking to draw Bethod into battle, leaving Crown Prince Ladisla on the Cumner in a defensive position. Unfortunately, Bethod eludes Burr, and tricks the overconfident Ladisla into battle, where The Union forces suffer another crushing defeat. However, thanks largely to a group of rebel Northmen under Rudd Threetrees, Burr manages to track the Northmen and draw them into battle near the fortress of Dunbrec. The battle is hard fought, but ends in a strategic victory for The Union, though it is not decisive. Last Argument of Kings The Union eventually succeed in recapturing Dunbrec after a prolonged siege, and push the Northmen out of Angland. The war nevertheless continues in The North, where The Union capture the important port of Uffrith. The decisive battle of the war occurs in the High Places, where Bethod's army lays siege to the group of rebel Northmen. In the end, The Union manage to flank and rout them. Bethod is forced to take refuge in his fortress capital of Carleon, but dies when his champion is defeated in a duel with Logen Ninefingers. The end of the war removes the immediate threat to Angland. HeroesCategory:UnionCategory:Geography Black Dow has been the King of the Northmen for eight years, when war again breaks out with The Union, with Angland forces playing an important role under Lord Governor Meed's brother. The decisive three day Battle of the Heroes occurs near the town of Osrung in The North. It ends in a stalemate, but a favourable peace. A new Protectorate region within The Union is created from the southern part of The North, under the leadership of the Dogman. This will act as a buffer zone between Angland and The North proper. During the battle the Lord Governor dies, with Harod dan Brock becoming the new Lord Governor of Angland. A Little Hatred Harod died three years before the series begins, and his widow Finree has been acting Lady Governor since then. Meanwhile, war returns with the North when Stour Nightfall's Northmen overrun the Protectorate. Despite a lack of support from the crown, the conflict is brought to a satisfactory conclusion when newly-minted Lord Governor Leo dan Brock defeats Stour in a duel in the circle.